


Leaving Gotham

by StephCassShipper



Series: Under A Spoiled Hood [2]
Category: Batman (Comics), Batman - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Because I can, Chinese Language, Gen, Good Parent Talia al Ghul, Jason Todd is Red Robin, MILD - Freeform, Mild Angst, Nell Little and Duke Thomas are Cousins, Past Character Death, Stephanie Brown is Red Hood
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-24
Updated: 2020-11-24
Packaged: 2021-03-09 23:55:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,173
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27694469
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/StephCassShipper/pseuds/StephCassShipper
Summary: With Black Mask dead and Stephanie's identity exposed to Jason, she packs up and leaves Gotham, but not before a talk with her adoptive mother. And one last act of heroism.
Relationships: Nell Little & Duke Thomas, Stephanie Brown & Nell Little, Stephanie Brown & Talia al Ghul
Series: Under A Spoiled Hood [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2010226
Comments: 3
Kudos: 23





	Leaving Gotham

**Author's Note:**

> A special thank you to Shauds for beta reading this story for me. I beta'd the latest chapter of his fic, Tell me a story, for him.

Her apartment wasn't the best around. It wasn't exactly falling apart at the seams either, but she could do better.

Of course, she didn't exactly feel like she deserved better.

The girl slammed the window she had climbed through shut and ripped off her helmet, revealing her short, blonde hair. She was angry. Angrier than she had been. Angrier than when she was fired.

And angrier than when she died.

"Stupid fucking Red Robin," the girl muttered. She threw her helmet at her couch, letting it bounce. She ran her hands through her hair, frustrated.

"Rough night?" asked a smooth voice behind her.

Once upon a time, Stephanie Brown would have jumped at any sudden appearances, vocal or otherwise. But after all her training, both from Batman and his associates and the League. Her skills had been honed to their finest. So she did not jump.

Instead, she simply turned her head towards the figure leaning against a wall. Talia al Ghul, Daughter of The Demon. And Stephanie’s adoptive mother.

" _Mǔqīn_ ," Stephanie greets, bowing.

"Up, _nǚ'ér_." Stephanie stands up. "What troubles you?"

"My mission was not accomplished," she begins, folding her arms. "Can't be accomplished. With Bruce dead, I couldn't follow through with the plan. So, I simply killed Sionis."

"And this is the issue, _nǚ'ér_?"

"Yes," she responds through gritted teeth. "The point of this was to show him his methods are wrong. There is no vengeance in simple murder."

"Is it murder?" Talia asks as she stops leaning. "He tortured you, killed you. And showed no remorse for his actions. It is not murder, young Stephanie."

Stephanie nods and Talia can tell she doesn't believe her words. She sighs under her breath, but doesn’t persist on the issue.

“I’m leaving Gotham. No use for me here, not with Sionis dead.”

“Are you certain, _nǚ'ér_?” Stephanie nods.

“Red Robin knows who I am. It won’t be long before they track me down. Less chance of that if I’m gone.”

“I wish you luck, _nǚ'ér_.”

“And I the same to you, _Mǔqīn_.” Talia leaves, exiting the same window Stephanie came in through.

Steph grabs the essentials. Non-perishable food, at least three changes of clothes, most of her weapons. She checks and double checks to make sure she has everything.

Something slips out and falls to the floor. Stephanie kneels down to grab it, and…

Something pangs in her chest. A familiar mixture of grief, sadness, anger, and regret. She picks the object up.

It was a reminder of happier times. Cass had just finished her patrol, Stephanie’s was done an hour ago. They got their milkshake and fries, as typical of them, and decided to take a photo. Were it any other of the many they had taken in the year they knew each other, it would have been fine.

But it’s not. It’s not a photo of Batgirl and Spoiler, but rather Batgirl and Robin. The one picture they managed to snag before fate cruelly robbed Stephanie of everything good about her life, then stole the life itself.

Stephanie ignores the tears falling down her face, ignores the urge to track down Cass, wherever she is, and apologize for everything. For the deaths she’s caused, during and after the War Games. For lying to her that she was going to go home. For dying.

She ignores everything, shoves the picture into her bag, then sets off into the night.

* * *

She waits at a bus stop. Renting a car or buying a train ticket would just give her former allies more ways to track her. A bus is her best bet.

She hears… scuffling. Sounds of a fight, and a little girl cries out in panic. Before she stops herself, she rushes to the source of the sound, an old, decrepit alleyway.

Three thugs, all three teenagers. Wearing matching jackets in what seems to be an up-and-coming small time street gang. And they’re surrounding a little black girl, clearly no less than ten.

One of the thugs waves a switchblade in the little girl's face and she whimpers. Stephanie’s face darkens and she takes out a knife of her own.

She rushes the closest of the three thugs and stabs him in the shoulder. He lets out a cry of pain and she shoves his face into the pavement. He’s out instantly.

“What the fuck?!” the thug with the knife says in a panic. Before he can even turn around, Steph’s knife plunges through his arm and he screams, dropping his own weapon in the process. She headbutts him, hard, and he crashes to the ground. Steph turns to the last guy, fear and sweat prominent on his face.

“Leave,” she growls. The thug runs away, nearly tripping on the way out of the alley. Stephanie turns to the kid. “You alright?” The girl nods and Steph puts away her knife. “They didn’t hurt you, did they?”

“No.” Stephanie breathes a sigh of relief.

“Good. Got anywhere to go?” Another nod.

“I live with my cousin Duke. He’s just around the corner. I was… taking a walk, and then they…”

“Let’s get you home.”

Stephanie walks with the girl - Nell, her name is - to an apartment door. Stephanie knocks on the door and turns away.

“Wait!” Nell says. Steph turns back around. “You’re… you’re a hero, aren’t you?”

“No, I’m not.”

“But you saved me! Only heroes do that. Heroes like Batman, or Robin, or- or Spoiler!” In an instant, Stephanie’s vision blurs with rage and before she can stop herself, she’s in Nell’s face.

“Spoiler was not a hero. She was a foolish little girl who had no business fighting alongside Batman or anyone associated with him. She got herself and hundreds of others killed because she wouldn’t stay down!”

She hears a whimper and realizes what she’s done with horror. Stephanie sighs and shakes her head.

“I’m… sorry. Just… Spoiler’s not a role model. Or a hero. Never was. Never has been. Never will be. Remember that.” Stephanie leaves, for real this time, back to the bus stop.

The door opens and a teenager steps out.

“Nell, where have you been?!” he asks, panicked. He scoops her up in a hug, holding on tight.

“I’m sorry, Duke. I just wanted to go for a walk.” Her face brightens up. “But I met a hero today!”

“You did? Who?” In an instant, the worry washes away, replaced with relief and happiness.

“Spoiler! She’s a little older and more rude, but it was still her!”

“Nell…” Duke starts. “Spoiler’s dead. Died in that gang war.”

“But it was her, I know it!”

“Come on, Nell. Let’s get you inside.” The two enter the apartment and the door closes behind them.

A few hours later and Nell is in bed. Or rather, she’s supposed to be. Instead, she’s in her closet, digging through for… there! She takes out a purple hoodie and a black face bandana, exactly what she was looking for.

“Spoiler can be a hero,” she says to no one in particular.

**Author's Note:**

> I headcanon Nell and Duke as cousins and this was the perfect opportunity to add it to the story. Whether Duke becomes The Signal further into the storyline is unknown as of now, but Nell is definitely going to be Spoiler. It's too good an idea not to add, especially with her current motivations.
> 
> According to Google translate, Mǔqīn and nǚ'ér are Chinese for mother and daughter, respectively. I was originally going to go with Arabic for the language, but, well, you all know how Google translate is. I switched it to Chinese cause I'm pretty sure I read somewhere that Talia is mixed Chinese-Arab.


End file.
